Page 26 of Wicked Sins

The hand holding mine is warm and strong and slightly rough.

Can I pull away? Would he let me?

Not that I want to. Despite the whispers, Sean’s only just met me. There’s no way he’s expecting us to bang, right?

As we reach the top of the staircase, a girl to my right puts a hand over her mouth and snickers.

Shit.

“Uh, can I—” I pull back on Sean’s hand. “Where’s the bathroom?”

He glances at me over his shoulder. There’s a moment where I’m convinced he won’t release me, but then he grins and uses his chin to point down the hall. His hand opens, and I hurriedly take mine out of his before he can change his mind.

“Meet me in the game room when you’re done,” he says, tipping his cup against his mouth as he carries on down the hall.

Thegameroom?

There’s another giggle behind me. The sound chases me to the first door on the left. The light is on inside, and the door swings open to reveal a neat, bright bathroom. I close it behind me and stare at the empty keyhole.

No key.

Anyone can come in.

Well, it wasn’t as if I was actually going to pee. I just need to get my head straight. I walk over to the basin, set down my cup, and glare at my reflection for a moment.

You’re being a dick.

I grimace at myself.

Your first real house party and this is how you behave?Oh my God, why would I want to go make out with a football player? Dear Lordie, my soul shall surely burn in eternal hellfire.

I stand straight, push back my shoulders, and take up my cup.

You know what? Next time, Iwillput on makeup. Dark eyeliner like I saw the girls on the stairs wearing. Lip gloss. Several layers of mascara. Hell, I might even go so far as to stick on false lashes. I smile and take a sip from my cup. Then another. Another.

That deliciously cool, creamy taste spills down my throat. I close my eyes and let out a happy sigh.

You’re not the girl you used to be, Candy Furey.

My eyes pop open. I gather my hair and slide it over my shoulder, so it lays on my chest.

CandyBaleis smart, sexy, and independent. She doesn’t cower at the mere thought of being alone with a boy. In fact, she can’t wait to see what it feels like.

I drain the rest of my cup, relishing that familiar sting in the back of my throat.

There’s a knock at the door. I’m still smiling when I open it and slip outside, brushing shoulders with the girl who’d been smirking at me when I walked past with Sean.

She’s still wearing a smug expression, but it slides right off her face when I grab her arm and turn her to face me. “Where’s the game room?” I ask.

She does a double-take and then shrugs sulkily. “Last door on the right.”

* * *

There’sa ton of smoke clinging to the air here—a cloying mixture of weed and vape and cigarettes—but at least my eyes have stopped tearing. I’m one of three girls in this room—the rest are all guys. Some are playing pool; a pair are battling it out on a console in front of a massive flat-screen television. The rest have congregated by the bar, laughing and joking in obnoxiously loud voices.

Sean and I are on one of the couches pushed against the wall, watching over the fun and games.

As soon as Sean saw I didn’t have a drink, he brought me another plastic cup filled with Irish cream.

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